The present invention relates to catheters.
Conventional Foley catheters have often been made from latex rubber through dipping techniques. Although such catheters are in widespread use, on occasion their inflation lumens become obstructed during use, thus preventing deflation of their retention balloons which are inflated in the patient's bladder. More recently, different materials have been used to make urinary retention catheters. Some of these materials may be extruded to form the catheter shaft and inflation lumen, thus substantially eliminating nondeflation problems associated with the inflation lumen. Additionally, some of the materials are believed less toxic to the patient than latex rubber.
Although certain difficulties have been solved through use of different materials, the retention balloon must be formed in a different manner. The retention balloon and catheter tip may be made in a single assembly, and the assembly may be secured to the distal end of the catheter shaft. However, the bond between the assembly and shaft should be sufficiently strong to prevent severence during use, and the tip should be sufficiently rigid to permit placement in the patient without undue flexation of the tip.